Steele Rusts In Rain
by Witchy-Vampiress
Summary: An old friend comes back from the past with problems of deadly preportions. It hasn't actually gotten that far in the story, but it will! ;- And Thanks to Katrina My awesome Beta reader!
1. Prologue

The rain clattering against the sturdy brick buildings and the cobblestones in the road that had been there for ages. He had been there for ages. The rain rumbling against the rubbish bins and the dark rolling clouds making the streets of London even darker in the black pitch of night. He was rubbish, he had been told before. The air was filled with warm humid scent of the rain with the dirt, grime, and filth of the London streets. The only taste in his mouth was the taste of sweet rain and the taste of bitter dissatisfaction. Who was He? It had troubled him for practically forever. He had no name, no family, no future, no heart. He was pure and coursing anger.

"Harry?" he heard a young girl's voice call. _Harry_, he repeated in his head. The name he had been deemed by the closest thing he had ever had to a father. He said He'd come back. _That's what they've all said_, a voice told him in his head. They always said that they would come back and he'd have a proper family. They Never Did. He was alone in the world, no one to care for, no one to care for him.

"Harry, Where are you?" the voice sounded again. Except her. She was like an unwanted puppy. She'd just follow someone around until they accepted her as a usual occurrence. There was a bang of thunder and a close flash of lighting. He heard a little scream and a whimper. He was the closest thing she had ever had to a friend. Maybe he did have a heart, it just took the right person to find it.

"Harry? Where are you?" she called to him again and added as a quiet afterthought, "I'm scared." _Aren't we all?_ He thought as he arose to find the source of the voice.

There was a succession of loud crashes and bright lightening flashes followed by a loud scream. It seemed as if the night was reflecting the torrent of emotions that lived constantly in side of him. He wandered into the old abandoned warehouse that they called home for the moment to find the little voice that was hopelessly searching for him.

Another crash, another burst, another scream. He turned a corner around a column and found a small curly-brown-haired bundle shaking and silently crying in a corner. He stepped over to her and sat down next to her.

Another thunder, flash of light, and a little scream as little arms were thrown around him. "I'm scared, Harry." She said into the side his jacket. He put an arm around her and gave her a caring squeeze. "I know, Kid. I know. I'm scared too." He said quietly. She snuggled up next to him, "You can be scared, Harry. You're the bravest person I know." She said quietly, "Braver than Humphrey Bogart and Claude Rains put together." He smiled to himself, "You know, Kid, even they get scared." He said.

There was another crash of lighting and thunder and she huddled up next to him. "Why are they so angry, Harry?" she asked with her face buried in safe and warm brown jacket. He thought for a moment, "I think it's because they're scared. I think that they decide instead of showing how terribly scared they are; they get angry and decide they don't need anyone else to help them along." He said with a sigh, " So they scream and shout and throw things to prove to themselves that they don't need anyone, when all they really need is a friend."

She laid down her head on his thigh and said in sleepy voice, "I'll be their friend, Harry." He looked down for a long moment, then leaned down to whisper in her ear, "You already are." At that moment he temporarily let go of his anger, his hate, his loneliness, for just a moment and used the emotional impulse that most people call their hearts and he began to sing. It was a song he didn't know he'd learned. It was a song he didn't even think he'd heard before. It just seemed to be purely … him.

Of all the money that ere I had, I spent it in good company.And of all the harm that ere I've done, alas was done to none but me.And all I've done for want of wit, to memory now I cannot recall.So fill me to the parting glass. Goodnight and joy be with you all.

Of all the comrades that ere I had, they're sorry for my going away, And of all the sweethearts that ere I had , they wish me one more day to stay,But since it falls unto my lot that I should rise while you should not, I will gently rise and I'll softly call, "Goodnight and joy be with you all!"

Oh, if I had money enough to spend and leisure time to sit awhile There is a fair maid in this town that sorely has my heart beguiled Her rosey cheeks and ruby lips, she alone has my heart in thrall.So fill me to the parting glass. Goodnight and joy be with you all.

"That was pretty, Harry." she said sleepily. The rain had slowed to a drizzle and sleep came itching at his eyes.

"Harry?" she asked, "Are you my friend?" He smiled lightly, "Yes, Darling, I'm your friend." he said in a whisper. She turned her head to look up into his eyes, "And you'll never leave me, right, Harry?" she said with the question sparkling in her innocent green-gray eyes.

"No, Christabelle. I'll never leave you." She snuggled in close to him again, "I knew I could trust you." she said with a yawn, "Goodnight, Sam Spade." He closed his eyes with a smile and said, "Here's looking at you, Kid." As he faded off to dreamland of brave detectives and thrilling mystery.


	2. Chapter 1

Laura strode out of the elevator rather cheerfully as she looked at the door in front of her boldly plastered:

**Remington Steele **

**Detective Agency**

She frowned at it for a moment then realigned her cheerful demeanor. _It __seemed __that life was easier when you were just a name, Mr. Steele, _she thought to herself as she hummed a song-less tune.

"Good day yesterday?" asked Bernice inquisitively.

Laura smiled, "_**I **_cracked a case, _**I **_caught the thief, and _**I **_have brought Justice to the people of Los Angeles." Laura gloated. Laura glanced around, "Where's Murphy?" she asked .

"He's in Colorado, Remember? Family matter?"

Laura laughed, "Family matter my foot. He was taking that secretary he met to Colorado to go skiing."

Bernice smiled, "You've got your next client waiting in his office. It's a Miss Brigid O'Shaughnessy and she wouldn't explain her problem and she came off as pretty desperate." Laura strode over to his office door as Bernice asked quickly, "What if he comes?"

Laura turned and grinned at her. "Give him Plan B." she said as she walked in to the office. She found a girl pacing about the room. "Miss O'Shaughnessy?" Laura inquired.

The girl jumped and spun around. She was relatively pretty with capacious Green-grey eyes and a gentle wave in chestnut brown hair that went cascading over her shoulders to the middle of her back. She was a little shorter than Laura and had an hourglass shape with smooth facial features.

"Miss O'Shaughnessy?" Laura repeated.

The girl smiled, "Aye, I'm sorry. Ye startled me. Oh, and call me Brigid. O'Shaughnessy is such a mouthful!" she said, her voice dripping with Irish brogue and a smile.

Laura extended a hand, "I'm Laura Holt, Mr. Steele's associate." Laura said. She crossed around and sat in the big comfy chair behind the desk. "What's your trouble?" she asked. Brigid sat in the chair across from Laura.

"Miss Holt, someone is trying to kill me."

In he strode, smiling at the writing in glossy black letters on the door. They read:

**Remington Steele **

**Detective Agency**

Just charming.

"Good Morning, Mr. Steele." said Bernice , as if she was a third-grader greeting an unwelcome substitute teacher.

He smiled charmingly in her direction, "Hello, Miss Wolfe." he said happily.

She rolled her eyes and watched him walk across the threshold and timed it just right so that the moment his hand hit the doorknob, she said, "Oh, Mr. Steele, I have a few things I need you to sign." She reached down next to her desk and picked up enough paperwork to make about four encyclopedias and enough spare to make the complete works of Shakespeare. In six different languages.

He strode over, glanced at the paperwork and looked at Bernice. "She's got a client, hasn't she?" he said suspiciously.

Bernice smiled slyly, "These have to be done in an hour, Mr. Steele." she said over sweetly. He looked at her decidedly miffed and picked up the paperwork and spoke to her over his shoulder.

"This is the only time, Miss Wolfe, the only time." he said as he closed the door to Laura's office behind him.

"My Name Is Miss FOX!!" she whispered loudly at the door.

"Who is trying to kill you?" asked Laura.

Brigid wrung her piano fingers, "Everyone I've ever met, it seems. Miss Holt, people I've known for years, people I've known since I moved here, are trying to kill me. I've had people poison my kettle when I'm making tea, people have attempted to sabotage my car in all sorts of ways, and I've even had gunmen stalking me from dark alleyways. They all seem to have one single aim. To create an Ex-Brigid O'Shaughnessy," Brigid said matter-of-factly, "They probably know I'm here now." She looked nervously over her shoulder as if expecting a random gunman to appear there.

"Do you have any idea why anyone would want to kill you?" Laura asked gently.

Brigid shook her head vehemently, "No, Miss Holt. Nothing. Never." she said cautiously.

At that moment, Mr. Steele strode in. "Astute to start without me, Miss Holt. Very smart." he said as Brigid leapt to her feet nervously and spun around towards the door. As she looked at him, there was a flicker of something in her Green-grey eyes. Something that was veiled to the outside world.

"Brigid, this is Mr. Steele." Laura said lightly.

Steele felt slightly self-conscious under the scrutiny of Brigid's gaze.

"Pleasure to meet ye, Mr.…Steele." she choked through a locked throat, "I'm Brigid O'Shaughnessy."

Steele looked at her curiously. "I've heard that name before… Ah, well, how can our meager Agency help you?"

Brigid shook herself out of her hypnotized gaze and looked to Laura. "Miss Holt, would it be alright if I spoke to Mr. Steele alone?" she asked curiously.

"Okay." she said as she glanced at him and walked out the door.

Brigid began walking around the room, eyes never leaving him. "So… you're Remington Steele?" she said with a nervous note in her voice.

Steele nodded, "That's what they call me, yes." he said with his own nervousness.

Brigid stopped glanced at the floor and then back at him. "May I…remind you of something, Mr. Steele?" she asked candidly, "Close your eyes."

Steele looked at her nervously.

"Trust me." she said sensing his nervousness, "Close your eyes."

He lightly shut his eyes to where he could still see the glimmering lights through his eyelids and he heard a voice in his ear. It was an eerie familiar voice, high-pitched and child-like. Only one sentence was uttered and it caused a face to flash before his memory.

"Goodnight, Sam Spade," said the voice as he heard quickly running feet. His eyes flashed open, "Here's looking at you, Kid." he said quickly in the direction of the doorway. "CHRISTABELLE!!"


End file.
